Train-control apparatus



l' l 1 Oct 25 927 r. E. CLARK TRAIN CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,

Filed Nov. 21, 1923 ivo ' INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY.

25 19 f ont' 27* T. E. CLARK TRAIN CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 25,1927. f 1,646,683

*UNITE-1o sfratti:sA PATENT: oFrlcfllli.l v N THOMAS n. CLARK, orDETROIT.MIcrIIGAm-Assmiton rro oonrrnuous 'einem coul.`

'rn-or. CORPORATION@ nnirnorr, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OMICHIGA.

maniaco-laminoir framers Y' Appncation ined November' 2i, 192s'. "serialNo. 676914.

This invention relatesvtoy automaticappa.-f indicate clear, caution ordangerYconditi-ons 55 ratus designed to control the operation of oftheblock of track in advance. railway trains, and its object is to provide`j It alsoconsists inthe details of construcmeans for announcing to the.engineer of tion illustrated'inv the accompanying 'dra'v've one trainthat the next or thev second block ings and particularly pointed out` inlthe in advance is occupied byanother-train and claims; g .l forpositively v'compelling the speed ofthe In the accompanying drawingsFig. 1^ is-a train to bereduced according' to thecondiportion et"k aldiagram of the vtrack and" vee tion of the two blocks in advance. hicleunits of this `novel train control Vap:l

1U This invention consists. in' combination paratus. Fig. 1A istlieremaining portion with a railway track divided intoblocks, of of this'diagram. Fig.- 2 is a vietvf illustrat: 05 a generator ofradio-frequency current for ing'a spe-ed governor. Fig. 8 is avietvsliovv cach block. electric circuits connecting the ing a switchoperating connection; generator to the rails ofthe blockv and aSimilarrefe-rence lcliaract-rs refer to like 15 three-position relaycontrolled by alternate parte throughout the several views.

ing current in the rails ot the next block The purpose of thistrain-control'systeni 7" in yadvance for determining by its position` isto f provide means which Will-normally when energizedV the f frequencyand Wave permit the engineer to handle hist-rain Withlength of thecurrent transmitted to itsblock out interference so long as hedoes:sofprop for the purpose of indicating clear, danger crly lWithincertain predeterminedlimits;y or caution indicationsl in the vehiclesoc-4 obeying the signals along the track or with: 75 cupying said block;in his cab, but which will applyjthe vbrakes It further consists inmeans for supplyif the engineer fails to obey fsaid' signals5 ing analternating current to the rails of brin-ging tlietrain down tthespecdltvhicli each block and a device for controlling the ispermitted under the condi-tions indicated direction of the current` saiddevice being by the signals. Three particular features are governed bythe tlireeeposition relay of the of importance.- l .Y Y block in advancewhich therefore determines 1. Thev electrical energy: or controlling theradio frequency lcurrent of its own block the train equipment istransmitted .from the 3U and the position of the relay of the nexttrackrails without the necessityvof mechan` block in the rea'r and theclear,A cau-tion or ical contacts.- It is `therefore not'hindereddangerindications in said block. f byice or snow on the rails. y f

It further consists in providing condensers 2. The train-equipment isunderccnstant inthe circuits between the radioLfrequency 'control andthe controlling energy/for' the n 353 generator and the rails to preventto a greatv brakes and signals is transmitted' constantly degree thepassage of the alternating curr-ent from the rails at every point of thetrack; iU from the rails to saidgenerator, v 3. The track 'circuit' andthe'r` locomotive It also consists in a normally energized circuit are'both clos-ed. If either is opened brake control device in a vehicle, aplurality or is de'energi'zed the locomotive immedif' lo of circuitseach adapted to maintain said ately must reduce its speed to corresponddevice energized. means for Opening'andtodanger conditions; Y H l. lclosing said circuits according as the vehicle The installation shown inthe drawing/sais eit'ceeds or lacks a predetermined speed for adaptedfor the operationot trains in o'ne' each of said circuits, a receivingcircuit on direction only; that indicatedk by the `a`rro` ;\v.=` 45 thevehicle embodying selecting 'devices for as for one track of a doubletrack railway.`

differentiating between the currents of dif- `Figs 1 and 1a showtwollineivires `1Y and lou ferent Wave lengths and frequencies. and a- 2which extend from a source' of alternating radio,-trequency relaycontrolled byy said current along 'the track which is divided by ncurrents (for selecting the circuits to `the meansof the usualinsulationinto blocks f brake-control device. to H ir'rclusive.y Block isnotfshown-but It also consistsV i on the vehicle adapted to respond tothe po numbered 3 and 4. lConnected toy the rails e n athree-positioarelay is supposed to be occupied.y The rails' are m5sitons lot4 the three-position "relay at 'the ot each block by meansofthe gvvirjgsA 5 and Y Vtraclr etleand signals contrelled therelr4 tt?Lfire "threat-'Track relays 7C,- 79;: We Fig f controlled by the trackrelay of that blockwhich also controls the frequency, wave length anddirection of the radio frequency current. vThis statement as todirection of radio-frequency current is made in view ofthe observedindications that there is a directional effort in radio frequencycurrents;

In the drawings I have indicated axles 8 toV represent vvehicles ortrains occupying blocks C,'D and'Gr.` Block A is also under-` 'i stoodto be occupied. Ilocks B,"E, F and II are unoccupied and the positionsofthe instrumentalities onthe vehicles 1n blocks C,

rD and Gare respectively for caution', dan-v ger and clear conditions.Attention is called to the track 'instrumentalities of block G.

VBlocksF and E are unoccupied so that the indications forblocl Gr` arefor clear conditions and for maximum permitted speeds. The trackinstrumentalities for blockF are notV shownbut are in thesame'positionas those of block C to which referencezis made to trace.the current passing to the relay-7G. An Yalternating currenttransformer 'T C has'a primaryA winding 10 connected to the*V flinewires 1 and 2 by meansof` the wires 11 and 12.4 The secondarywinding 13l of this transformer connects to the armatures 14 and 15 bymeans of the wires'l and 17.

'IIhe contacts 18, 19 and20 connect to the rails ofblock C b means ofWires 21, 22,.

23'andf24'zadjusta le choke coils 25 and 26 rire provided to keep theradio-frequency current lin the railsv from passing to the transformer TCf So long as the lblock Bis unoccupied, current vwill passte the relay7C andhold'the'.armatures 14 and'15 against thecontacts 18 and19+currentconditions then occurring in rail 3, l Alternatingcurrent.being used, as in the usual kstandard three-position signalingtrackcircuits, there isno -real positive `or negative current, as thesewords are properly applicable' to di-v rect currents' only. l But ininstallations of this character, there Vis relative instantaneouspolarity at the time the relays'are energized andthe result iscomparable tothe effect of change of direction of directpcurrent. "Thesymbols -land fi are therefore used to indicate this =relativeinstantaneous polarity condition. Then the block inadvance `is occupied,as is block C, the relay of the next c lblock'in the rear `(7D) iscle-energized and current conditions occur in rail 3 of that block.Therefore-current conditions occur in rail 3vof all blocks immediatelyin the rear of all occupied blocks and 4- current conditions inall'other blocks. n

When lcurrent condition occurs in rail' similar current also passes overwire 5 to the three position track relay, givingthat a positiveenergization, unless the block which re ceives such current is occupied,in which case no current passes to the relay, it being snort circuitedby the occupying vehicle. Block F however is not foccupied so relay 7Gand its armatures are in-I-Or clear positions. Adja-v cent` each blockis a high-frequency rotar)7 transformer or generator 28, connected tothe ilinewires 1 and 2 by the wires 29 and 30 and-to the primary winding32 ofthe qarbo-frequency transformer R by the wire 33, armature Contact35, Wire 36,v armature 37, contact 38 and wire 39. It also connects tothis winding32 by therwire 40; An adjustable Contact 42,- wire 43, andContact 44' are also providedas will=be pointed out farther on.Condensers 45,' are provided .in the wires 33 and 40. g

yThe secondary winding'48 ofthe radio-J frequency transformerRc'onnectsto a switch Sby means of wires 49 and 50, condensers `45 being'connected into these circuits. The switch connects to the rails 3 land4 by means of wires 52 and 53, `an A'adjustable resistance 54 beingVconnected into the wireI 52 and an 'adjustable inductance 55 intothewire 53.

The condensers 45 are constructed to permit the passage of the high.frequency current which is used for controlling the train in stallationand prevent the short 'circuiting of the A. C. current of thetrackcircuitcas they prevent the passage of enough `of the` alternatingcurrent conductedV to the rails by the wires 21 and 23 to materiallyaffect the operation of the relay 7 of that-block.

These condensers'Y are well known and are produced to materially blockall` alternating currents of lower frequencies than those which they areconstructed to pass.

Blocks E and F'beingunoccupied, the radie-frequency current for block Gis 'produced by current from the generator28 passing over the wire 33,armature 34, contact 35, wire 3", armature l37, contact38', wire 39, andthe' entire'length of the' primary winding 32,l of the transformer R G.The resultant current inthe secondary 'winding 48 is of comparativelylow frequency Aand long wave length and I have marked the wire 52 with-l`- to indicate a, directional'effort. When the block (G) is occupiedby an axle 8, av closed oscillating circuit is produced whichhas apowerful inductive ef of connection lof the wires 52 Vwire 36, 'armatureyracaeess block at whoseexit end there is anunenergized relay 7connected to the occupied rails 'of the next block in advance.

In order Vto cause the members Vof each switch S to swing with anarmature 37, a. link llOniajy be connected to the switch members bymeans of pins 111, and the link l may be formed with a slot 112 toreceive the pin -113 onthe armature 37. The armature may. swing fromIeither of its polar positions to neutral without disturbing the switch,butwhen it swings from neutral to either of itsfpolar positions, theswitch lmust swingwith it unless the varmature hap.- pens to swing backto itslast polar position..

Where the block Yin advance is-occupied, as 4is the case with` respectto block B, the alternating track current passing Jfrom rail 3 of blockB to relay 7C has relative instantaneous negative polarity so thattherelay will indicate negative energization and swing the `armature 37toenga-ge the contact 44. The

current from the generator 28 then passes over the wire 33, armature 34,contact 35, i 37, contact 44, wire 43, contact 42 and over "only aportion of the primary winding 32 of the transformer R C. The .inducedradio-frequency current in the .secondary winding 48 is=of greaterfrequency .and lesser wave length than `vin that of block Gr. Eacharmature 37 mayhave 'a connection with the switch S of the same block sothat when the armature. is swung from central lposition it nieves .theswitch with it. The

secondary or radio-frequency curr-ent then passes over the wire 50 tothefswitch S, adjustable ind-uctance land wire 53 to rail 4, thus 'producing an induced circuit between the rai-ls 'hav-inganoppositeAdirectional -eort to that termed in block G. This maybe termed acaution condition of current, that oblockG being termed'a vclearcondition although these relations are not fixed, but may beinterchanged `if desired, depending entirely on the adjustment andconnections of the instrunientalities on the vehicle or train beingcontrolled.

- On the vehicle is a three-position relay Pv of the type shown' in mypending application lSer. No. 335,941 tiled Nov. 5,1919, with four vanesand yfour coils so that the vanes may Y be turned in either directiontrom central position. This instrument is indicated diagrammatically toconsist of a shatt on which the vanes 61,f61a-,62 and 62a aremounted. Tothis shaftare connected the arms 63 and 64, the form-er adaptedto engagethe contacts 65, 66 and `67 which are connectedto thelamps 68, 69 and 70by the wires 71, 72 and 73 respectively. These wires connect to acurrent lsource such as a battery 75 by means of a wire 76. The shaft60-connects to the current source by a wire 74. 1n Fig. 2

-I have diagrammatically shown a speed Agovernor lcomprising a shaft 80,a driving pulley 81 thereon so that itmaybe rotated by an axle of the.vehicle,weights 82, connected tol thel pulley 81 and a collar 83 bythelink's 84, and a cross bar'85' movable up and down by the links 84. Awir-e 86 connects to this cross fbar. Three Contact plates 87., 88' and89 of metal of varying'lengths connect tojinsulating members and theVbar carries connect these plates to the'conta'cts 96, 97 and 98 adaptedto be engaged by the arm y'64. The wire 86 connects to one end of thewinding of an electro-magentic valve V,fth'e other endet` the windingbeingconnected tothe en l'brushes 90,91, and 923..-Vt7ire`s 93, 94andl95` current source 75 by 1a w-ire .'99. j The valve V is normallyopen but is closed by the electro-magnet when that is'en'ergized 7h-enthere isno radio-frequency current in the track rails ofjth'e blockoccupied by the vehicle, astheblock D., no current passes to therelay PD and thearms63 fand -64eny gage the central contacts 66and 98respectively.V

the idanger lamp 69 and to the contact plate 89. Ifthe vehicle ismovingl at more than the speed predeterminedl for danger thebrush92avwill be lifted above. the metal portion of the contact plate 89 andthe cir cuit from the Asource 75 will be broken, the val-ve opening topermit application of-,the` brakes'whichwill check the speed of thevehicle until it isno greater y than that predetermined for dangercon-fV ditions. y

Vhen the caution conditions are present in the trackinstrumentalities,as in block C, the relay P C closes the circuits to the. caution lamp 68and the middle plate 88. The 'circuit to the train valve V is keptclosed until the` train speed exceeds lthat which is predetermined forcaution conditions,isay lifteen miles per hour, at which point thecircuit between the current source and the valve is opened lto cause theapplication of the brakes.

lVhen clear vconditions are present in the tracky instrumentalities` asshown in block G, the relay P G closes the circuit `to lthe clear lamp70 and to the plate 87.. .The circuit to the train valveV is keptvcloseduntil the vehicle exceeds the highestpermissible speed for that vehicle,at which point the brush 99 moves trom contact with the plate 87 andopens the circuit to the valve V. The lamps 68, 69 and 70v thereforeindicate to the op yerator, whether engineer or motor man, thecondi-.tion oitthe track .ahead and the speed permitted yfor the blockbeing occupi-ed and Current passes from the current through the valve`Vv conditions, say four miles'pe-r hour,

ilo

for caution Conditions.

these indications will be changed at any time thev conditions changed.

As statedbefore, radio-frequency currents arev usuallypresent in therails of the track occupied by 'the vehicle being controlled by thepresentsystem. In order to receive vthe induced currentin the zoneadjacent the connection between the' rails two inductor of the track inadvance are loops 101' and 102 are mounted on the ve- 'tance 109, in therepulsion coils 110 and 111 and in the adjustableresistance 112. Theenergized repulsion coils 110 and 111 act on the vanes 61 and 61 andturn the shaft 60 clockwise as yshown in Fig. 1a. As stated before, theinductancej and resistance of y the track installation serve to splitthe phase of the waves of the radio-frequency track current, and thiscondition is intensified by the inductance 109 and resistance 112 at theends of the coil 106. In the same manner, the caution current has noeffect on the coils 106 but the tuner coil 107-108 receive this highfrequency, short wave length radiofrequency current and the phasedisplacement is rintensified by the adjustable` inductance lltandresistance 115 so that the action of the repulsioncoils 1.16 and 117will have a powerful effect on'the, vanes 62 and 62, suf- Y ficient toswing the arms 63 and 64 to the p ositions shown by P C at the right yinFig. 1. j

The construction of the three position rotary relay P is similarto thatshown by the Thomas E. Clark applications, Ser. No. 335,941, filedNovember 5, 1919, and may be thesame as that shown in the Thomas E.

' Clark application Ser. No. 27,589, filed May I claim: 1.l In anapparatus rfor controlling the movement of railway trains, thecombination of a railway track divided into blocks, a

radio frequency generator for each block, an

electro-magnetic controller therefor whereby the frequency and wavelengths of the radio frequency current may be varied, conductors betweensa'idgenerator and the rails of ther track of its block, a secondgenerator for each block to provide other current therefor,

`and electric circuits between the rails of said block and theelectro-magnetic controller of the next adjacent block to the rearaccording to direction of the traffic whereby the opera tion of thecontroller of the next adjacent block in therear may 'be determined.

V2. In an apparatus for controlling the movement of railway trains, thecombination of a railway track divided into blocks, a generator forradio frequency current for each block, electric circuits between thevgenerator andl the rails of the track, an electro-magnetic controlleradjacent `each generator whereby the frequency and wave lengths of theradio frequency current may be varied, and electric circuits betweensaid controllers and the rails of the block in advance whereby tlieactions of the controller may be governed.

l 3. In an apparatus for controlling the movement of railway trains, thecombination vof a railway track divided into blocks, a

current source for eachV block and connections between the currentsource and the rails of the block, a relay controlling said connectlons4to determine the character of current passing to its block,

three-position relay for each block, .electric circuits between therelay and the'rails of the block in advance, a source of oscillatingcur` rent for eachv block, electric connectors between said source andthe rails of the block, means controlled by each relay for determiningthe'direction of said currentto the rails ofthe next block to the rear,a radio frequency current generator and transformer for eachblock,electric circuits connecting the generator and the rails of its block,and means controlled by the relay of the next block in advance whenenergized for determining the wave lengths and frequency of the radiofrequency current in the rails of the bloc-k to which said generatoris'connected. f

'5. In an apparatus for controlling the movements` of railway trains,the combination of a railway track divided into blocks, a source ofalternating current for each'block and electric connectors between saidsource and its block, a three-position relay to con# trol the directionof the alternating current alternating current in the rails of the blockin advance, a generator and transformer of vradiolfrequency current foreach block and 'electric circuits connecting said generator'te v,ingcurrent for each block, electric'conneel ingly varying limitations onthe speed of` the rails thereof, and means controlled by the position ofan armature of the relay ofV said block to determine the frequency and,

tric circuits between the relay and the railsk of the block in advance,a'source of oscillattors between said source and the rails of the blockand embodying inductance coils, means controlled by the relay fordetermining the direction of said current to the rails of the next blockin the rear of the block to which said relay is connected, a radiofrequency current generator for each block, electric circuits and atransformer connecting the generator and the rails of its block,ycondensers between the generator and transformer and between thetransformer andtrack rails and means controlled by each relay whenenergized for determining the wave lengths and frequency of the radiofrequency current inl the rails of the next block in the rear of theblock to which said relayis connected.

7. In an apparatus for controlling the movements of railway trains, thecombination of .a track divided into blocks, means for transmittingradio frequency currents of predetermined frequencies and wave lengthsto the rails of each block, and controlled as to` frequency and wavelength bythe occupancy of the first and second blocks in advance, of athree-position relay mounted on .a vehicle and controlled by thefrequency and wave length of the current in the rails occupied by thevehicle for automatically enforcing correspondsaid vehicle.

8. In an apparatus for controlling the movement of railway trains,anelectrically governed air brake valve, a sourceof electric current fornormally energizing said valve` to hold it closed, three'circuitsbetween the closing said circuits according as the vehicle exceeds orlacks a predetermined speed forL each circuit, and means controlled bythe wave length of radio frequency currents in the track for selectingone or another of said circuits and thereby the maximum speedof thevehicle during the condition under which said selection was made, saidmeans embody- Vcurrent source and valve, means controlled by the' speedof the vehicle7 for opening and ing athree-position radio-frequencyrelay and inductance coils andl resistance coils for selecting thecurrents to operate same.

by said means being progressively decreased as said element changestoward its extreme condition, a radio frequency current generatoradjacent the track and electric circuits connecting it to the rails ofthe track, automatic means responsive to the presence of ,a

train on the track for controllingthewave lengths and frequency of thecurrent'trans-tv mitted by said generator, a receiving'circuity onvthevehicle to receive current induced by said current in said rails, anda radio frequency relay in said receiving circuit to govern the positionof said changeable element on the vehicle.

Y .THOMAS n. CLARK.

' 60 9.` In an apparatus for 'controlling thek

